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REV. DANIEL N. LONG, a well-known member of the Evangelical Association of Blairstown, Iowa, was born in Somerset County, Pa., May 17, 1813, and is the son of Nathan and Catharine (Berkey) Long. His father was born in Bedford County, Pa., and was the son of a soldier of the Revolution, who was descended from ancestors born in Rheinish Bavaria. His mother was born near Cumberland, Md., and remembered having seen Washington in her childhood. Her ancestors were from Germany.Our subject was brought up on a farm till of age. He united with the Evangelical Association when nineteen years of age, and was elected and served as Class-Leader for two years, and on the 10th day of October, 1834, began to labor as an itinerant minister. He preached his first sermon near Wellersburg, Somerset Co., Pa., and traveled and preached through Western Pennsylvania, through the Shenandoah Valley, Va., and through what is now West Virginia. He extended his labors northward as far as Erie, Pa., preaching as often as 300 times a year, and traveling thousands of miles. For the arduous duties performed he received the munificent sum of $50 a year for seven years, while single. During this time from sixty to 100 souls were annually converted under his teaching. He preached either in German or English, according to his audiance. He was ordained Deacon in 1837, and in 1840 was ordained Elder, and served four years as Presiding Elder. At a meeting resolutions were passed to build a college at Berlin, Pa., and Mr. Long was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the purpose; at the same time a seminary at that place was opened, which was the first institution of learning in the Evangelical Association. One year he held seven camp-meetings in succession, and 200 converts was the result.
He was married in Cumberland County, Pa., Nov. 4, 1841, to Miss Susanna Flickinger. Mrs. Long was baptized into the Evangelical Church in 1844. Five children were born of their union, two boys and three girls: Wesley A. was born in Fayette County, Pa., Feb. 10, 1843, and died May 18, 1855; Albert F., born near Hagerstown, Md., June 24, 1846, died Nov. 13, 1863; Belinda E., born in Fayette County, Feb. 2, 1848, is the wife of Jerome Troutman, a farmer of Benton County, Iowa; S. Catharine, born in Jefferson County, Pa., Oct. 21, 1850, is the wife of W. H. Hildenbrand, and lives in Johnson County, Iowa; Cynthia M., born in Fayette County, Pa., March 24, 1854, is the wife of Frank Leonard, a farmer of Benton County, Iowa.
Mr. Long came to Iowa in March, 1860, having traded for 200 acres of land in Benton County, he began his labors in Iowa in the "North Bend Circuit." He subsequently traveled on Independence Mission as far north as McGregor, Iowa, and crossed over to Prairie du Chien, Wis., where he held meetings. He next traveled on Turkey River Mission, Iowa, and on other missions. In 1865 he was assigned to a circuit in Minnesota, Preston Circuit. He subsequently traveled two years in Jackson County, Iowa, under the Presiding Elder. He was elected and served three times as Delegate to the General Conference. In 1871 he took up his home permanently at Blairstown, where his wife died Oct. 14, 1882.
Mr. Long was always exceptionally busy in his ministerial labors. One year, while on the Westmoreland Circuit, he attended eighteen appointments, making a round every two weeks. This called him to preach every evening and three or four times on Sunday. During this time his health was exceptionally good, however. Before his marriage he itinerated for seven years, and after his marriage, in a period of twenty-five years he moved twenty-four times. While in the East his customary mode of travel was on horse-back, except during the winter. While there was sleighing he made a sleigh known as the "Yankee Jumper." This was quite a rude affair made of hickery poles. When the snow had disappeared, he left the "jumper" where he happened to be, and again mounted his horse. During the fifty-two years which he has been a member of the Evangelical Association, he has been a liberal contributor to benevolent purposes. He has written many communications for his church periodicals in both English and German, and has composed a number of excellent poems on various subjects. He loves union in the churches, and as he says, "wants every man to have elbow-room and a fair chance to make his mark for home, society, church, State and heaven."
Mr. Long has three farms, one of 165 acres in Johnson County, one of 160 and one of 65 acres in Benton County, aggregating 390 acres, besides nine city lots in Blairstown and a tree claim of 160 acres in Holt County, Neb. He has donated liberally to the cause of education, to the support and building of schools and churches. In politics he was first an anti-slavery Knownothing, and joined the Republican party at its organization. He is an earnest temperance man, and has been active in conducting temperance organizations.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 359-360.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on February 18th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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